A week today, Lisbon will play host to the inaugural Legends Charity Game, an SBC-led fixture bringing some of football’s most recognisable names together to raise funds for the Ukrainian Red Cross and Cáritas Portuguesa. The ambition is to raise more than €1 million for frontline causes, and the spotlight will be on how the sports and betting ecosystem can turn scale into impact.
For the industry, this a live test of whether brands that power the sports economy can also mobilise communities for social good. With SBC Founder and CEO Rasmus Sojmark driving the concept, the event asks sponsors to show, not tell, what responsible leadership looks like.
In the first of our sponsor spotlights, Insider Sport speaks to Soft2Bet, a Platinum Partner of the game. Chief Marking Officer Alex Gitsik explains why the company backed the project, how the initiative aligns with its ESG roadmap, and why it views the match not as a mission that turns visibility into tangible outcomes.
Soft2Bet is a Platinum Partner of the Legends Charity Game in Lisbon. What drew you to this event, and what does this partnership mean to the company?
When SBC Founder & CEO Rasmus Sojmark presented the vision for the Legends Charity Game, we were inspired by the innovative approach, the powerful idea, and the mission behind it. As an unprecedented initiative in our industry, it immediately resonated with the values of Soft2Bet, and it was only natural for us to step forward as a partner.
An opportunity to stand with SBC on something that spans beyond sports and into the communities that rally around it. Sports already shape our sector so much, and projects like this become the bridge between the iGaming world and making real world impact. One that lasts long after the final whistle. And I personally thank Rasmus and SBC for the invitation for the Soft2Bet team to be part of this moment.
The goal of the match is to raise over €1 million in support of the Ukrainian Red Cross and Cáritas Portuguesa. In your view, what role can the gaming and tech industries play in supporting humanitarian causes?
We’re in a unique position where our sector already reaches millions of people everyday. This doesn’t just create opportunity, but a duty to turn that reach into action. Bringing teams, brands, and fans together to support in efforts to raise over €1 million for the Ukrainian Red Cross and Cáritas Portuguesa. Rasmus is showing us how it’s done. This Legends Charity Game is a simple idea with real impact, and it’s setting the bar for what’s possible in the sector and how we can continue to support humanitarian causes.
How does this initiative align with Soft2Bet’s broader CSR or ESG strategy? Is this part of a longer-term commitment?
Yes. Social responsibility is part of our long term plan. We support local and international work in education, sport and technology, and we set clear goals with visible results.
Our focus is practical impact. That means funding where it helps, time from our people, volunteering and donated media. Inside our products we design with player protection and regulation in mind and, where appropriate, we spotlight community projects.
Soft2Bet Invest, our innovation fund, extends this approach by supporting teams building useful technologies and by mentoring founders.
The Legends Charity Game fits this path. It is part of a longer term commitment to use our reach for good and to share results after each initiative so the impact is clear.
Why are sports and events like this one becoming such powerful platforms for brands in the betting and tech space?
Sports is a universal language, spoken through real, raw emotion. When football legends step onto the field for a cause, the energy is undeniable — it connects players, fans, and communities. The crowd feels it. Everyone feeds off that energy. A moment of connection. And when a brand speaks sincerely in that moment, it’s not just heard, it’s felt. It’s as compelling as it is engaging.
For Soft2Bet and our brands, moments like this are a way to communicate through meaningful action, reflecting our values and delivering visible outcomes. That’s what makes sports such a powerful platform today.
From a marketing perspective, how are you leveraging this moment?
From a marketing perspective, we see this less as a campaign and more as a mission. The Legends Charity Game gives us a platform to show that iGaming companies can do more than innovate products — we can use our resources and reach to support society. For Soft2Bet and our brands, it’s about turning visibility into meaningful action: expanding awareness of the cause, engaging communities across our channels and partners, and showing that our industry can stand for more than business. In that sense, marketing is not just communication, it’s contribution.”
Soft2Bet operates across multiple countries. How does a pan-European initiative like this help strengthen your brand internationally?
We’re selective with who we partner with and choose projects, like The Legends Charity Game, that bring real benefits to people. Sports naturally bring communities together, so teaming up with SBC on this pan-European initiative is mirroring that on a much larger scale, carrying our message across markets and languages.
For example, in Denmark, our local division coordinates within the community to tell this story in Danish while ensuring every detail meets their national rules and responsible gaming standards. In Canada, ToonieBet supports the Canadian Football League. Across Scandinavia, Betinia and CampoBet embrace local sport to deliver our message. One that is localised but at its core sets a single, clear standard that builds recognition over time, and strengthens the link between our brands, our partners, and the communities around them.
On a personal level, what does it mean to you to be part of an event that combines football, legacy, and charity?
It’s an absolute honor. It’s one thing to see these legends on the pitch, it means so much more knowing the reason behind it matters. It’s almost like Soft2Bet is right there on the pitch with them. Everyone leaning into their different strengths, but all aiming for the same goal – to bring support to where support is needed most. The legacy you leave is the impact it makes on others. If this match sparks even a few more acts of generosity, it’s a win.
What message do you hope this partnership sends to your peers in the industry?
Leadership means showing up for people and following through not just on your commitments, but on your word. You can say what you want, meaning it and actioning it is what builds trust. It’s what makes brands feel more human, and teams feel proud to be part of them, the work they do and the real world change they can make.
If more of us chose this path, our sector will be known for so much more than great products. It can be known for bringing out the greatness in our communities across Europe and beyond. And you don’t need a whistle to get started, just the drive to take action. We can thank Rasmus Sojmark and SBC for that.
September 15 will see SBC organise a ground breaking charity football event in Lisbon. Make sure you get the chance to see some of the most legendary names in football by securing your ticket today at https://www.legendscharitygame.com/
